By Barry Stone
Dear Barry,
If I remove the ceramic logs from my fireplace and burn wood logs instead, is it safe to use the pre-installed gas log lighter? - Dorothy
Dear Dorothy,
The answer to your question depends upon the type of fireplace. Some gas log fireplaces are actually wood burning fireplaces with gas logs installed. Other fireplaces are manufactured strictly as gas-burning fixtures.
When restoring a conventional wood-burning fireplace to wood log use, it is often necessary to replace the burner hardware. Some gas-log burners, and particularly the flex connectors, are not rated for direct exposure to fire. In those cases, all or portions of the gas hardware would need replacement.
With fireplaces specifically designed to function as gas-burning fixtures, wood burning would constitute a major fire hazard.
To ensure that all such conversions are safe and legal, all related changes should be reviewed and approved by a qualified fireplace contractor or a certified chimney sweep.
. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted to our "